Later this summer I'll be taking a one way flight to California. After 28 years in Pennsylvania I'm going to make the giant leap across the country.

PHL to San Elijo Hills

Why you ask?

Many reasons... but the #1 reason is family.

You see 14 years ago my brother moved to California. It was clear pretty quickly that he was never coming back to PA. So I've spent half of my life apart from him. Well the time has come for us to all be together again.

Brad & Julie - Disneyland 2007

My brother was in town recently for a friend's wedding & it was great to have the four of us together. But Karin was at home with Elijah and Aliyah. We have only all been together so few times... and to this day we have never had all seven of us together.

7/9/11

I will miss Philadelphia. I'll miss Rita's water ice and Wawa.

I'll miss my sorority sisters.

I'll miss Alumni events at our sorority house.

I'll miss my favorite cousin.

I will miss holiday dinners in this house. {But I won't miss getting a pie with candles at thanksgiving instead of a real birthday cake.}

I'll miss going to Phillies games.

I will miss my Philadelphia modern quilt guild.

I'll miss my LP crew that I go to all my shows with.

I'll miss my extended family.

I'll miss my friends.

I'll miss many things.

I won't miss driving in the snow.

I won't miss watching my dad try to clear the driveway. {Or trying to do it myself!}

It snows too much sometimes!

This house has a lot of memories... but I can take those with me.

I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family & making new memories.

I'm looking forward to watching Aliyah grow up. {She is walking since I last saw her!}

I'm looking forward to being woken up with hugs and kisses by Elijah.

I'm looking forward to regular trips to Disneyland.

Disney 2008 with Karin & Elijah

My parents are looking forward to more time with their grandkids... and both of their kids at the same time.

We are all looking forward to more tickle fights!!

In general... we are all just really really excited about spending more time together.

I'm also looking forward to being much closer to all the amazing quilters and friends I've already made in California.

I mean really... could you resist this face?

I didn't think so!

Of course I'm a mix of emotions.

I'm sad & happy at the same time.

I'm nervous & excited...

I cried as I called close friends over the weekend to tell them the news. I cried as I wrote this blog post, but I'm ready for this move. I'm so excited for the unkown... as crazy as that sounds.

My favorite quote has always been...

"Forget regret or life is yours to miss."

--

Brad,

Yes... it is "your fault" for moving to California.

But I don't blame you... I want to thank you.

I love you so much... and I'm so excited to be starting the next chapter of my life in Sunshine. You are the best brother I could have ever asked for. Thank you for giving me the nickname J-Bird, for believing in me, pushing me and for never letting me settle for anything but the best.

--

So...

I'll be taking a blog break as we sort, pack & plan the big move. When I have time I'll post a photo or two & maybe a giveaway here and there. I will be having a GIANT online shop update as I need to decide what I can take with me and what fabric/things I have to part with. If you e-mail me & don't hear back right away please understand. Once the move is made I'll be back to regular blogging. Thank you all for your love & support!!

A new adventure is a wonderful gift to yourself. Calif. has to seem somewhat like home to you after all of your trips out here, besides the fact of having family near also. And if you want snow... you can visit me! Calif has plenty of that to offer too! I will see you at Road to California in Jan for sure!

Wow Julie I am feeling quite emotional for you, maybe it's because I am away from my family too, so know how you are feeling - we have been here for 8 years and I am starting to get homesick, maybe our next move will be back to the UK. I wish you all the very best with your move, will miss you, I always enjoy reading your blog, so Hun hurry back. Hugs Linda x

Good luck and Have fun withe the process. Enjoy every moment with your family. I have to admit..I'm jealous. I have been wanting to move to California for a long time, and Disney is my favorite place to go. good bye snow...hello laughter and fun family times.

Julie,I am so excited for you! I've moved so many times in life, so I understand the mix of emotions that goes along with a move. But in my book, family comes first, and from reading your post and seeing your photos, I'm guessing that it does in your book, too. You can make a life for yourself anywhere, but there is no subsitute for spending time with people you love. Enjoy the process (if possible - moving can be SO stressful), and enjoy setting up somewhere new. You'll have lots of readers eagerly awaiting your return. Best of luck to you!

Such wonderful news! Family is so important and it's fabulous that you have this opportunity to be with them. I wish I could move to where my sister and niece are too! So excited for you on this new journey. And welcome to L.A.!

Good for you and your family! My daughter moved 19 hours away 2 years ago and I hope someday they move much closer to our family as we miss them so much and seeing them just 4 times a year is just not enough. What a wonderful creative family you have. Treasure those relationships!

This made me cry a little bit. Those are all fabulous, fabulous reasons to move and I'm glad your family will be closer together. It sounds wonderful. Hang in there and you'll be there before you know it!

Noooooooooooooooooo! I was still hoping that one day I'd make the 90 min drive up to your part of PA and attend a modern guild meeting and finally get to meet you! So sad that you are moving to the other side of the country!!

So very excited for you tho, even tho I'm sad you are abandoning the east coast for warmer weather and bigger adventures :)

This is really all just so very exciting! You are lucky that you are young and not too tied down. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little jelly of your ability to just pick up and go! And lucky duck, you get to go with your folks too! Godspeed, Julie!

There is absolutely nothing better than family. I am SO happy for you! Things like this are so bittersweet though, aren't they? I'm sending lots of prayers and good wishes to you and your family on this new journey TOGETHER. (((BIG HUG FOR YOU)))

WHEW! I'm so glad I got to meet you at your book signing before you ventured to the other side of the US! Mom and Dad are moving too??? Wow I'm impressed! I have never moved out of Hammonton....I think about it dream about it, but it probably will never happen! Julie - enjoy your youth! Enjoy your family and enjoy sunny CA, I'll be thinking of you here in Jersey when I'm shoveling my driveway all alone this winter! Congrats!!!

Welcome to California! The San Diego area is awesome. Once you get settled, come visit the Bakersfield Modern Quilt Guild! It's a 3.5 hour drive but we're an enthusiastic group and there are awesome quilt stores here!

How exciting for you!! I am so glad I got to know you a bit and will miss you, but I know you will find great success in CA! I wish you and your family the very best and look forward to keeping up with you via blogland. Hugs, Julie!

Oh WOW! I am so happy for your entire family. I am the Brad who moved away and I know he must be thrilled to know he has has family coming to share in his children growing up. I look forward to more Elijah and Aliyah updates, too.

Oh how awesome for you. It's hard missing familly and you are very lucky that you can just make this huge decision even with the sad parts in making it quite obvious, but lucky still that you can pick up everything and move. It really does get harder to do that as you get older so yea, go for it now while it's still something you can do easily for the most part. GOOD LUCK Julie! I'm sure it will be the best thing you have done and you'll be super happy after the hard part of packing and saying those last good-byes to those you are going to miss. But, just think, you are giving those friends in PA a nice warm place to come visit in the dead of winter when they want to get away. They can come to sunny California to see you. :)

What a great adventure! You are so brave to move so far. I think it's awesome you are moving to get closer to your family. Most move AWAY from theirs. Best wishes with the move, packing, and everything in between. Feel free to do a mondo sale to decrease your fabulous inventory. :) Hey, I'm tryin' to help you out here.

Wow, thank you for sharing this with us. I'm happy that that you'll be closer to your family again and I hope you eventually grow to LOVE California just as much as you LOVE Philly. We'll welcome you with open arms... hopefully you'll make it out to one of the LAMQG meetings.

I wish you well with your move. I'm a former Philly girl myself. I lived in West Philly and Wynnefield and I go back from time to time to visit family. It's good that you recognize when it's time to move on. I did and I'm not sorry.Fondly,Etty

After college, I packed all of my belongings in a van and left New England for San Diego. I've never once regretted it. You will love it. I'm a little farther north now, but hope to move back to north county one day. Hope to see you at the LAMQG once you are settled in.

Wow Julie, this sounds so exciting. And take it from me, you will love the sunshine and warm days. I live in Sunny Florida, and would not trade for the cold north. Enjoy your trip. We will be here when you get back to blogging.

I moved away from the snow, to the extreme heat at this point.. I do NOT miss the snow.. some cool weather WILL come.. but not having to shovel..ahhhhhhhhhhh!!! There is airconditioning everywhere here, and it is worth it!! You will so enjoy finding new homes for all of your goodies in your new place. I enjoyed downsizing when we moved, and starting anew it was very refreshing to have new goodies in a new place!!

Personally I'd rather have snow than heat. Moving is hard work and stressful but very rewarding in the end when you are happy with where you are landing. Being close to family will be so fantastic for you, you look like a great Aunt to your niece and nephew!

It's great that you are able to move and spend more time with your family! And exciting to start a new chapter of your life (in the sunshine even better!) Best of luck with all the packing and sorting!

Wow...wasn't expecting that post!;) Well congrats kiddo...I know my own kids are missing each other while Maria is in the UK studying but you have been apart from your brother for much longer...you are a brave girl but also wise...you gotta do what you gotta do!;)

I'm just a bit bummed cause one day...when Maria gets back she plans on moving to the Philly area and I thought...one day....one day we might meet! Oh well...guess I'll have to go to quilt market one year since you are just gonna be all big and famous and I know I'll find you there twice a year!

WOW - huge move for you and your parents! I commend you for believing in the importance of family. I know your brother and his family must be over the moon with excitement about having you all close by.

Good luck with the move. I will miss your blogs and look forward to when you are settled and have time to design, quilt and blog!

You will LOVE the weather of San Diego county! We live inland and it gets pretty hot here and we always look forward to going to Carlsbad to visit our son and DDIL. The weather in San Diego area is about as perfect as it gets!! Praying for a safe and easy move for you and your family!Linda Redlands, CA

Best of luck to you on your new adventure. It is wonderful that you will be closer to family. As I get older, family becomes more and more important. Luckily for you, your quilting business will travel with you (and the weather will be more predictable for pictures). Congrats on reaching your decision, and let the adventure begin!

Welcome to California...and we have some great guilds in Orange County if that is where you are coming!! Orange county Quilt Guild is just one and there is a couple of Modern Quilt guilds too...WELCOME to the land of no snow

Best of luck. I wish you all the best on your move. I don't worry about you at all and know that it won't take you long to become a part of you new home. You'll be closer to us here in SLC. If you're up this way please let us know. I really jealous that you will be so close to Disneyland. It is my favorite place on earth (next to my sewing room). Soooo, until you blog again. Take care, Tina

Julie, I'm so happy for you! I understand how you feel. I've moved a zillion times. It's exciting and scary at the same time. Where are you going? LA? Suburb? There's so much to see & do there. Get in a car and you can be skiing, surfing or whatever. Good luck! Keep us updated and be safe--it's a long drive, but enjoy seeing America. It's great!

Family is a good enough reason to move and you guys are so blessed to have such close relationships. I don't envy you with the packing and all but new adventures in a new place does sound very exciting though. Good luck with the move.

Good for you! Nothing better than family - guess your parents are going with you, too? One winter before I left it snowed in SLO (Central CA on the ocean). The thing there is if you want snow you can go to it - it doesn't come to you. Good Luck on your move -- the the purging of stuff!

Yeah, I can't believe you're coming to MY STATE!! Even though you'll be in Southern Cali and I'm in Northern Cali, I may actually have the opportunity to meet you so if you hear someone scream your name, it could just be ME!! And FYI, I have an amazing quilt shop here in Northern Cali, which I would be happy to take you to, if you're ever up this way!!Hurry up and GET HERE!!

You will love it here! No snow, but close enough to visit it (if needed!) It will help to have your family near you..I am from Northern Cali, but love Southern just as much! And of course Disneyland is.."The Happiest Place on Earth!" So happy for you!

My sister-n-law just decided to make the same jump. She is moving from Long Island to the San Diego area and she is moving for her health reasons to be closer to family. My kids are in college, but she will get to see them more when they come home. She was nervous about the move but as it gets closer, she just gets more excited about it.

I'm a transplant from PA (near Reading) to CA (up north, though), too! Rita's Italian Ice is definitely on the list of things I miss and am looking forward to when I go back to visit in August - but there are so many great things about being here in CA. Best of luck!

Welcome to California! This is a wonderful place and you are coming here for wonderful reasons. Although our paths are unlikely to cross (despite the fact that we hear the Disneyland fireworks every evening around 9:30pm - and can watch them if we put our beach chairs up on the roof! - we never go there), it makes me very happy to think of you basking in the same sunshine and enjoying the warmth of your very special family.

I have no doubt that there are wonderful adventures waiting for you in California. And just think, all of your PA friends/family are only a phone call away (I bet you won't even have to schedule it first ;)Wish you the best! Smiles~Beth

Hi Julie -- I have been following your blog for about a year and met you at quilt market in Salt Lake this year. I live in San Diego and I think California is the perfect place for you! I can just see in your quilting that it has that so. Cal. vibe! I moved here with my husband 18 years ago and while it was hard to leave half of my family, I am so glad we moved. It is a great place to raise kids and to live ... so much to do and live outside year round. Congratulations on your big decision ... California is lucky to have you!

What an amazing adventure! My brother moved to Texas and we are in Illinois! I do not get to see him near as much as I would like! You will have new experiences and meet so many wonderful people! Be safe in your travels!! Hope to hear from you soon!

As a NoCal gal, welcome (almost) to the great state of California! The Pacific International Quilt Show in October in San Jose, Ca is not to be missed. Also, the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild would love to have you come visit us or teach a class, whatever we can work out. I'm Vice Pres, so consider the welcome mat out. Please check out our sites when you get a chance. Give us a shout after you get settled and feel like driving a few hours (o.k. 4 hours to get out of LA and 2 hours to get here -hehe!) I'll share a little wisdom with you that was shared with me once upon a time: Change is inevitable, growth is optional! Good luck to you as you grow, grow, grow.

Gosh, I cried reading all the things you'll miss with your move. But you'll be making new memories, experiencing new things, making new friends, getting to see the old friends (like me) more often, and most importantly, you'll be with your family. Good luck on the move, sweetie. Remember, no regrets!!! xoxo

Hiya and Byeyah....your sunny smile and enthusiastic creativity will be farther away - but thanks to the wonders of blogs, still just a click away. Best wishes for the whole family. And don't let us ever catch you in anything but Phillies attire!!Sue Edelman

Well my love, I hated that I couldn't see you when I was in Philly. But the good news is that SoCal is on our vacation calendar quite often! So we may end up seeing each other a tiny bit more than we do now. Of course I wish you the best of luck in everything always!

This is so weird. I feel sad that you are moving. Even though I've never met you personally, with you being in Philly, which is only a 45 minute drive from me, I felt like we were neighbors, LOL.

On the other hand, yes, it is so exciting for you! It has to be really hard to be so far away from your brother, SIL, niece & nephew. We lived in Florida for a year between 2006-2007, and I was so homesick, as the rest of my family was still in NJ, including all three of my kids, so I know how you feel.

Keep us updated on the big move. Looking forward to hearing about your new adventures. God bless and best wishes!

i love that you quoted rent.and i gonna miss you practically being in my backyard.and it's gonna take some practice not calling you at butt:thirty in the morning.and now i need to figure out trips to the west coast.but i love you.and i'm happy for you.and i'm happy that i know all the crazy, amazing potential that cali has in store for you.

Best of luck to you Julie ! I did the same thing some 27 years ago - moved from Philly to southern California (Sierra Madre - right next to Pasadena). Followed a boyfriend (now husband). We lived there for 6 years but moved back to Pa for the same reason you're moving to California - family! We were all by our lonesomes out there in California , so moved back to be near family when we were starting our own family. It's good when families stay together ! ENJOY !!!

P.S. - my husband is a die hard Philly boy sports fan - we managed to see the Phillies when they played in L.A. and also the Eagles. FYI we weren't the only ones cheering for the "visiting" team - seems there were pretty many transplanted Philly sports fans there!

Julie, thank you for the great tutorial on bindings, congratulations on your decision to come out west. To help ease missing Philly, you can get Italian ice just like Rita's at Joe's Petrucci Italian ice (the store front even have the same color scheme as Rita's) on Harbor Blvd A couple of blocks from Disneyland. As far as Wawa,the closest steak sandwich, and subs that we found out here is at Philly's Best. They even use Amorroso rolls! My husband(who grew up there), and my my son (who is going to school there) both love Rita's and Wawa.

I am so grateful that I will have my husband (best friend for 39 years),my children,(Julie aka Jaybird),Brad & Karin,and my grandchildren (E&A) in the same state for the 1st time in 14 years! This sure warms a Mother's heart! I have been blessed with an amazing family & look forward to this cross country journey & adventure that the next chapter brings! NO snow this winter is looking real good too!

Good for you! Best wishes and safe travels as you embark on this grand adventure! Just went to San Diego last week for our son's Marine Graduation. Gorgeous city and the weather...oh that lovely weather! Enjoy the journey!

My very best wishes to you. I hope everything goes well. I'll miss your blog for a bit but I look forward to reading about your sewing and adventures from another part of the world, in time. Good Luck!

Juuuulllieee, we miss you. Can't wait til life settles down for you and things resume on Jaybird quilts. You are very inspiring. I hope things work out as you want them to. It is a big change and will take a while to get used to. I think you are very brave!

have fun in the sun - its always nice to be with family especially when the nieces and nephews are so young - I've always lived away from my family and my youngest niece is now 22 and I've seen her a total of 10 times :( - so I'm right behind your move - look forward to your blogs when you settle in.

Julie, I am so excited that you will be closer to your family and that you have so many new adventures to experience in California! I heard that there is a fantastic fabric store near LA (not sure how close you will be to that) that has tremendous random fabrics (but no Customer Service so go prepared to search on your own for quite a bit of time). I cannot wait to see what CA does for inspiration for you!

Welcome to sunny beautiful Southern California! You're moving about 1 hour south of me (I live 15 minutes from Disneyland, used to work there).

We have a fabulous quilting community here in Southern California! Definitely hit up the Road to California in January if you aren't already planning to do so -- it's about 1-1/2 hours from the San Marcos area. And you'll be living close to Elinor Burns's shop.

Wow! Congrats!! How exciting (for me) to know that your amazing talent is now in California. I hope the move is going well! If you ever come to your brother's work I'd love to meet you. Take care!Cristina (DWA quilter)

WOW!!! Reading this gave me a lump in my throat and filled my eyes with tears. I see my parents weekly and I work with my sister...this really made me that I take it all for granted and forget to give thanks. Good luck on your journey.